Vocabulary

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The Na'vi language has 20 consonants, 7 vowels, 4 diphthongs, and 2 syllabic pseudovowels, rr and ll (LL). Since Na'vi isn't a written language, it is transcribed using the Latin letters. In order to make the usage of this vocabulary easier to most people, the letters are arranged here in a sequence, which mostly follows the original Latin alphabet. The letters for "special" sounds are positioned according to their resemblance to "normal" sounds. Thus the letter sequence used here is:

’ (apostrophe) . A . AW . AY . Ä . E . EW . EY . F . H . I . Ì . K . KX . L . LL . M . N . NG (= G) . O . P . PX . R . RR . S . T . TX . TS (= C) . U . V . W . Y . Z

The vocabulary includes 1. the Na'vi word (in bold letters), 2. the IPA transcription (in square brackets), 3. the part of speech (in italic letters and round brackets), 4. the English equivalent(s) and further information, 5. sourced example(s) after the symbol ►.

ad 1. Purple colour is used to indicate stressed syllables in words, where the stress is officially recognized.

ad 2. The IPA transcription includes dots (.) to indicate syllable breaks. If there aren't any dots between syllables, the syllable breaks are dubious.

ad 3. The abbreviations for the parts of speech are as follows:

Adj adjective
Adp+ adposition causing lenitation
Adp– adposition not causing lenitation
Adv adverb
Inf 1 first-position verbal infix
Inf 2 second-position verbal infix
Idiom idiomatic expression (e. g. interjections, fixed phrases, locutions)
Conj conjunction
M+ marker causing lenitation
M– marker not causing lenitation
N noun
NP proper noun (names of people, places etc.)
Num numeral
Pron pronoun
Vin intransitive verb
Vtr transitive verb


’ (Apostrophe) [Ɂ]

’ekong [Ɂɛkoŋ] (N) beat (rhythmic), e. g. heartbeat. ► ’ekong telanä "the beat of the hearts" (ASG, Weaving Song).

’eylan [ˈɁɛj.lan] (N) friend (short plural: eylan). ► ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi "to my friends and friends of the Na’vi language"; ’eylan ayngeyä, Pawl "your friend, Paul" (AMFP).

’ìheyu [Ɂɪ.hɛ.ju] (N) spiral. ► ’ìheyu sìreyä "the spiral of the lives" (ASG, Weaving Song).


A [a]

-a | a- [a] (M–) to attribute an adjective to a noun; the a is attached to the adjective, but always faces the noun. ► ngima kilvan (or) kilvan angim "long river" (LL).

ay+ [aj] (M+) plural prefix. ► aysokx "bodies" (LL); ayzìsìt "years" (ASG, Weaving Song); ayoe "we" (ASG, Hunt Song).

‹ay› [a.j] (Inf 1) to indicate future tense <FUT>. ► tayaron "will hunt" (LL).


Ä [æ]

‹äng› [æŋ] (Inf 2) to indicate negative feelings <PEJ>. ► längu "is-NEG-ATTIDUDE"; tayarängon "will hunt (and the speaker feels negative about it)" (LL).


E [ɛ]

‹ei› [ɛ.i] (Inf 2) to indicate positive feelings <APPROB>. ► tayarängon "will hunt (and the speaker feels positive about it)" (LL); Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

‹er› [ɛ.r] (Inf 1) to indicate imperfective aspect <IPFV>. ► teraron "be hunting" (LL); Neytiri herahaw "Neytiri is sleeping" (MSNBC).


F [f]

fahew [fa.hɛw] (N) smell. ► fahew "smell" (LL).

fìtsege [fɪ.ʦɛŋɛ] (Adv) here. ► Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì "These demons are forbidden here" (TO).

fpom [fpom] (N) well-being. ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).

ftxey [ftʼɛj] (Vtr) choose. ► ftxey awpot [< ’awpot?] (...) ayngal "choose one" (ASG, Hunt Song).


H [h]

hahaw [ha.haw] (Vin) sleep. ► Neytiri herahaw "Neytiri is sleeping" (MSNBC).

horenkoren.

hu [hu] (M[+/–?]) with (together with somebody).hu nga (or) ngahu "with you" (LL).


I [i]

ikran [ik.ɾan] (N) Ikran, banshee. ► ikran "banshee" (LL).

irayo si [iɾa.jo ǀ si] (Vin) to thank (someone). ► ayngaru seiyi irayo "I thank you" (AMFP).

‹iv› [iv] (Inf 1) to indicate subjunctive mood <SJV>.

  1. as optative <OPT> to indicate a wish or hope. ► oeyä txe’lan livu ngay "let my heart be true" (ASG, Hunt Song).
  2. as iussive <JUS> to indicate encouragement. ► spivaw oeti rutxe "please believe me" (AMFP).
  3. accompanying the verbs new (want), tsun (be able) and zene (must). ► Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live!" (UGO); fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng "news to give you [= news, which I am able to give you]" (AMFP); livu win sì txur oe zene "I must be fast and strong".
  4. in hypothetical conditional sentences (potentialis [and irrealis?]). ► pxan livu txo nì’aw oe ngari, tsakrr … "only if I am worthy of you, [then] …" (ASG, Hunt Song).


Ì [ɪ]

‹ìm› [ɪ.m] (Inf 1) to indicate recent past tense <REC>. ► tìmaron "just now hunted" (LL).

‹ìrm› [ɪɾ.m] (Inf 1) to indicate both, recent past tense and imperfective aspect <REC.IPFV>. ► tìrmaron "was just now hunting" (LL).


K [k]

kame [ˈka.mɛ] (Vtr) see (spiritual sense), acknowledge. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

kato [kato] (N) rhythm. ► Tompayä kato, tsawkeyä kato "The rhythm of rain and sun" (ASG, Weaving Song); Katot täftxu oel "I weave the rhythm" (ASG, Weaving Song).

kaltxì [kal.tʼɪ] (Idiom) Hello! Greetings! ► Kaltxì! "Greetings! Hello!" (VF).

kewong [kɛ.w.oŋ] (Adj) alien. ► fahew akewong "alien smell" (LL).

kifkey [ki.fkɛj] (N) the (physical) world. ► tìftia kifkeyä "the study of the physical world" (SciMag).

kilvan [kil.van] (N) river. ► ngima kilvan (or) kilvan angim "long river" (LL).

koren [ko.ˈɾɛn] (N) rule. ► aylì’ut horentisì lì’fyayä leNa’vi "the words and the rules of Na’vi" (AMFP).


KX [kʼ]

kxanì [kʼanɪ] (Adj) forbidden. ► Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì "These demons are forbidden here" (TO).


L [l]

lefpom [lɛ.fpom] (Adj) happy. ► Ayftozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx! "Happy Holidays to You All!" (OoOA).

lì’fya [lɪɁ.fja] (N) language. ► eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi nìwotx "to all friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

lor [loɾ] (Adj) beautiful, pleasant to the senses. ► lor "beautiful, pleasant to the senses" [in contrast to ↑ sevin] (LL).

lu [lu] (Vin) be.

  1. be (am, are, is; the copula). ► Oeri ta peyä fahew (…) ontu teya längu. "My nose is full of his smell" (LL).
  2. to indicate possession (have). ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).


M [m]

ma [ma] (M–) vocative particel in front of the belonging noun. ► Tewti, ma Prrton! "Wow, Prrton!" (LL); Oel ayngati kameie, ma oeyä eylan "I see you, my friends" (AMFP).

[mɪ] (Adp+) in. ► mì sokx "in the body" (or) "in the bodies" (LL).


N [n]

Na’vi [naɁ.vi] (NP) the Na’vi, the People. ► kato te’lanä le-Na’vi "the rhythm of the hearts of the people" (ASG, Weaving Song); awpot [< ’awpot?] a Na’viru yomtìyìng "[choose] one, who will feed the People" (ASG, Hunt Song).

  1. nìNa’vi [nɪ.naɁ.vi] (Adv) in the manner of the Na’vi. ► ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo "to chat with you in Na’vi [= like the Na’vi]". (TO).
  2. leNa’vi [lɛ.naɁ.vi] (Adj) Na’vi (as an attribute), 'Na’viean'. ► eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi "to the friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

new [nɛw] (Vin + subjunctive) want. ► Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live." (UGO).

[nɪ] (M–) turns a noun, adjective or numeral into an adverb of modal sense ("in the manner of", "like a", "à la"). ► ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo "to chat with you in Na’vi" [= like the Na’vi]. (TO); Katot taftxu oel nìean nìrim "I weave the rhythm in yellow and blue [lit.: blue and yellow]" (ASG, Weaving Song); nì’aw "only [ADV-one]" (ASG, Hunt Song).

nì’aw [nɪ.Ɂaw] (Adv) only. ► ha nì’aw, pxan livu txo nì’aw oe ngari … "So only, only if I am worthy of you …" (ASG, Hunt Song).

nìltsan [nɪl.ʦan] (Adv) well. ► Plltxe nga nìltsan! "You speak well!" (LL).


NG (= G) [ŋ]

nga [ŋa] (Pron) you (2st person singluar). ► hu nga (or) ngahu "with you"; Plltxe nga nìltsan! "You speak well!" (LL).

  1. ngeyä [ŋɛ.jæ] (Genitive:) your. ► ngeyä fahew akewong "your alien smell" (TO); tawskìp ngeyä "your ship [= space ship]" (UGO).
  2. ngaru [ŋa.ɾu] (Dative:) to you. ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).
  3. ngati [ŋa.ti] (Accusative:) you. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

ngim [ŋim] (Adv) long (about space). ► ngima kilvan (or) kilvan angim "long river" (LL).


O [o]

oe [o.ɛ] (Pron) I (1st person singluar). ► livu win sì txur oe zene "I must be fast and strong" (ASG, Hunt Song).

  1. oel [o.ɛl] (Ergative:) I. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).
  2. oeru [o.ɛ.ɾu] (or) oer [o.ɛɾ] (Dative:) to me. ► layu oeru ye’rin sìltsana fmawn "I will soon have good news" (AMFP); ayngal oer (…) ’upxaret stolawm oel "I have heard the message you sent me" (AMFP).
  3. oeri [o.ɛ.ɾi] (Topic:) I, as for me. ► oeri "I-TOP" (LL).

‹ol› [o.l] (Inf 1) to indicate perfective aspect <PFV>. ► tolaron "have hunted" (LL); Neytiril yerikit tolaron "Neytiri hunted a hexapede" (MSNBC).

ontu [on.tu] (N) nose. ► ontu "nose" (LL).


P [p]

peyä [pɛjæ] (Pron) his (, her?) (3st person singluar). ► peyä "his" (LL).

plltxe [pl̩ː.tʼɛ] (V[in/tr?]) speak. ► Plltxe nga nìltsan! "You speak well!" (LL).


PX [pʼ]

pxasik [pʼa.sik] (Idiom) Screw that! (vulgar).pxasik "screw that!" (UGO).


R [ɾ]

rey [ɾɛj] (Vin) leben. ► Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live!" (UGO).

-ri [ɾi] (M) topic suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorph: -ìri ]. ► oeri "I-TOP" (LL).

-ru [ɾu] (M) dative suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorph: -ur ]. ► layu oeru ye’rin sìltsana fmawn "I will soon have good news" (AMFP); ayngaru seiyi irayo "I thank you" (AMFP).


S [s]

sawtutetawtute.

sevin [sɛ.vin] (Adj) pretty (used only for people, Na’vi or humans). ► sevin "pretty" [in contrast to ↑ lor] (LL).

skxawng [skʼawŋ] (N) moron. ► skxawng "moron" (UGO).

sngeltseng [sŋɛl.ʦɛŋ] (N) garbage dump. ► "Sngeltseng means garbage dump." (UGO).

sokxtokx.

srak [sɾak] (M) to indicate a yes-no-question. ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).


T [t]

taron [ˈta.ɾon] (Vtr) hunt. ► taron "hunt" (LL); Neytiril yerikit tolaron "Neytiri hunted a hexapede" (MSNBC).

tawsìp [taw.sɪp] (N) spaceship. ► "Tawsìp is actually 'sky ship', the term they would use for a space vehicle." (UGO).

tawtute [taw.tu.tɛ] (N) human (lit.: 'sky person'; short plural: sawtute). ► "a single human is known among the Na’vi as a Sky Person, or tawtute, while the plural (Sky People) is aysawtute or simply sawtute" (MSNBC).

tewti [tɛwti] (Idiom) expression of (pleasant) surprise: Wow!. ► Tewti, ma Prrton! "Wow, Prrton!" (LL).

teya [tɛja] (Adj) full (ta … – of …). ► Oeri ta peyä fahew (…) ontu teya längu. "My nose is full of his smell" (LL).

-ti [ɾi] (M) accusative suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorphs: -t, -it ]. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

tìftia [tɪ.fti.a] (N) study. ► tìftia kifkeyä "the study of the physical world" (SciMag).

kangkem [tɪ.ˈkaŋ.kɛm] (N) work. ► Used in the verb tìkangkem si: zene oe ’awsiteng tìkangkem sivi fohu "I must work together with them" (AMFP).

yawn [tɪ.ˈjawn] (N) love. ► Lì’fyari leNa’vi oel ’efu ayngeyä tìyawnit "I feel your love for the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

tokx [tokʼ] (N) body (short plural: sokx). ► tokx "body"; sokx "bodies" (LL).

tute [ˈtu.tɛ] (N) person. ► tute "person" (LL).

tute [tu.ˈtɛ] (N) female person. ► tute "female person" (LL).


TX [tʼ]

txo [tʼo] (Conj) if (txo … tsakrr – if … then). ► In case of factual conditions (realis) the predicate of the conditional sentence is in the indicative mood: Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live!" (UGO); in case of hypothetical conditions (potentialis [and irrealis?]) the predicate of the conditional sentence is in the subjunctive mood: pxan livu txo nì’aw oe ngari, tsakrr … "only if I am worthy of you, [then] …" (ASG, Hunt Song).


TS (= C) [ʦ]

tsun [ʦun] (Vin + subjunctive) be able, can. ► Tsun oe ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo a fì’u oeru prrte’ lu "It’s a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na’vi" (TO).


Y [j]

yerik [yeɾik] (N) Yerik, Hexapede (zool.) [Sexcruscervus caeruleus (blue six-legged deer); up to 1.5 meters long, 2 meters in height; one of the animals hunted by the Na'vi (ASG, p. 84–86]. ► "If Neytiri hunted a hexapede (yerik), you would say Neytiril yerikit tolaron [= Neytiri hunted a hexapede]". (MSNBC).